Zaporozhets, Moskvich and Pobedas at retro car show

Sevastopol hosts a retro car show. Photo: A modified Moskvich.

Zaz-965, the first production model of the Zaporozhets, based on the FIAT-600.

The Moskvich has a very interesting past. After the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union ended up with many abandoned German cars, for which spare parts were needed. The government began production of similar cars based on one of Germany’s most popular and expensive models. The model was chosen by Joseph Stalin personally and a decree by the State Defense Committee prohibited making any changes to it. Thus, the Moskvich 400/401 was a real premium-class model in the Soviet Union. Photo: A modified Moskvich 401, originally an unapologetic copy of the Opel Kadett K38.

These unique cars were polished to a brilliant finish making the paint look better than new.

This Zaporozhets, of course, did not have this trick interior in Soviet times.

This car, as well as the Zaporozhets in the previous photo, was significantly modified by Sevastopol car lovers. They replaced most of the interior, installed a BMW engine and transmission, and upgraded the running gear. They did leave the body mostly original.

The GAZ-M20 “Pobeda” was a legendary and popular car in the Soviet Union. Thirty-four thousand Pobeda taxis and 14,000 convertibles were manufactured, which was an impressive figure for the 1950s.